Huskers Finish First Day of Competition in Illinois

The Nebraska men’s tennis team competed against Northwestern and No. 4 Michigan in a total of 10 matches on Saturday in Evanston, Ill. 

The Huskers faced Northwestern, who ended last season ranked No. 31, in three singles matches and two doubles matches. Most notably, junior William Gleason battled against Chris Ephron, taking the second set 7-6, but ultimately lost the match 6-3, 6-7, 6-1. Junior Victor Moreno Lozano competed against Nick Brookes, finishing the match 6-2, 6-3. Wrapping up the singles competition against the Wildcats was junior Patrick Cacciatore with a two-set loss to Gleb Blekher 6-2, 6-0. On the doubles side, sophomore Albert Sprlak-Puk and Cacciatore played Trice Pickens and Presley Thieneman, and Gleason and Lozano competed against Chris Ephron and Gleb Blekher. Both doubles matches ended in 8-5 losses. 

Nebraska also played four singles matches and one doubles match against No. 4 Michigan. Sprlak-Puk fought hard against Nino Ehrenschneider in the second set, but ultimately lost both of his singles matches against the Wolverines. Also playing Michigan was sophomore Shunya Maruyama, losing his match due to retirement for injury, and freshman Nic Wiedenhorn, finishing his day 0-2. The lone doubles match with the Wolverines featured Wiedenhorn and Maruyama taking on Nick Beaty and Styler, resulting in an 8-4 loss. 

Although there was no team score kept on Saturday, Nebraska will face the Wildcats and Wolverines again tomorrow before returning home Friday evening for the Big Ten season opener against Purdue. 

Evanston, Ill.

Saturday, Feb. 13 Results

Singles Matches vs. Northwestern

Nick Brookes (Northwestern) def. Victor Moreno Lozano (Nebraska), 6-2, 6-3

Chris Ephron (Northwestern) def. William Gleason (Nebraska), 6-3, 6-7, 6-1

Gleb Blekher (Northwestern) def. Patrick Cacciatore (Nebraska), 6-2, 6-0

Doubles Matches vs. Northwestern

Trice Pickens/Presley Thieneman (Northwestern) def. Albert Sprlak-Puk/Patrick Cacciatore (Nebraska), 8-5

Chris Ephron/Gleb Blekher (Northwestern) def. William Gleason/Victor Moreno Lozano (Nebraska), 8-5

 

Singles Matches vs. Michigan

No. 28 Ondrej Styler (Michigan) def. Albert Sprlak-Puk (Nebraska), 6-1, 6-3

Nino Ehrenschneider (Michigan) def. Albert Sprlak-Puk (Nebraska), 6-1, 7-6

Jacob Bickersteth (Michigan) def. Shunya Maruyama (Nebraska), 5-7, 3-0 (retired-injury)

Mattias Siimar (Michigan) def. Nic Wiedenhorn (Nebraska), 6-1, 6-0

 

Doubles Match vs. Michigan

Nick Beaty/Ondrej Styler (Michigan) def. Nic Wiedenhorn/Shunya Maruyama (Nebraska), 8-4